-- Cross post from the beta forums
One suggestion for a variant for the game on BGA would be a "Fast Mode" where certain steps are performed simultaneously.
The developer himself has suggested that some actions may be performed simultaneously on BGG.
One suggestion for a variant for the game on BGA would be a "Fast Mode" where certain steps are performed simultaneously.
The developer himself has suggested that some actions may be performed simultaneously on BGG.
One criticism I sometimes read about the game is the length of the games. It's true that the learning curve of the game is real, and the first game can be difficult. But don't worry, the real boardgame can be much faster than BGA, because some actions (such as human resources) are easily played simultaneously.
- Collect Income would be a stage I would suggest as simultaneous. However if any research were claimed from the Midwest it would have to be applied in turn order afterwards (or using the system suggested below).
Also during the Collect Income phase it might be worth considering automatically returning all workers that are on the last possible space along the transport tracks (last 2 spaces if a player has already reached the end). I cannot think of any reason not to return these workers as I see no benefit at all to keeping them on the board. You can no longer improve their income return and they gain no end of game VPs while on the board.
- Donation could be done simultaneously as below:
- 1st player gets to freely choose a donation
- 2nd player chooses a donation and optionally a second choice
- 3rd/4th player choose a donation and up to 2/3 additional choices
- Game assigns the highest available choice in turn order.
- If all choices are unavailable then player is reimbursed cash.
- Human Resources is the most obvious suggestion for making simultaneous as there is no action that would interfere with anyone's move. However this does remove a significant strategic advantage later players would have in the non-simultaneous version, being able to tailor their moves based on the previous player(s) choices.
- Management is a problem due "Strategic Planning" as people cannot simultaneously buy departments that have limited supply.
- Construction is a problem as placing buildings cannot be done simultaneously.
- Research & Development is a problem due to only one player allowed on the last spot of the Transport track. One possible suggestion for a simultaneous version to consider might be:
- Players perform all their R&D departments and generate, spend and submit their reasearch points simultaneously (Most research turns will end here)
- Any rare duplicate claims of the last Train Track spots would be won by the earliest player in turn order
- The others would then be reset back on that track to where they were at the beginning of the turn and appropriately reimbursed in research points, then another round of research spending would occur with remaining research points
- Continue until a last spot on a Train Track is not claimed by two people at once